Crimes and Consequences

When former state trooper Ronda Reynolds was found dead in her home in 1998, authorities quickly ruled it a suicide. But something about the scene didn’t sit right—not with the crime scene investigators, not with her mother, and not with the growing list of people who believed Ronda had been silenced.  In this episode, we unravel the tangled case of Ronda Reynolds—a woman caught between a troubled marriage, a new beginning, and a chilling end. Was it suicide, as initially claimed? Or was it a carefully staged murder with a cover-up that reached far too close to home?Join us as we examine the twists, the inconsistencies, and the relentless pursuit of justice by one determined mother who refused to let her daughter’s story be buried.

In EP267, we examine the deeply unsettling case of Cary Stayner, the Yosemite Killer. On the surface, Cary seemed quiet--reserved, even overlooked. But behind that silence was a storm of inner torment, obsession, and darkness. What makes his story even more chilling is the irony: Cary Stayner, was the brother of Steven Stayner (who we discussed in EP266), a national hero who survived a childhood abduction. While the world watched one brother's trauma unfold in the headlines, the other battled invisible demons--ones that would eventually erupt in brutal violence. This is not just the story of a killer- it's the story of unresolved trauma, twisted fantasies, and the shadow legacy of a family marked by tragedy. SOURCES:  1) Sund details frantic hunt for wife, daughter: Father-husband testifies during Stayner’s preliminary hearing into slayings of 3 Yosemite visitors [https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/sund-details-frantic-hunt-for-wife-daughterfather-husband-testifies-during/] 2) CBS News: The Yosemite Murders -- in photos [https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/the-yosemite-murders/8/] 3)Crime Library: Cary Stayner and the Yosemite Murders [https://www.crimelibrary.org/serial_killers/predators/stayner/suspects_2.html] 4) CBS Sacramento: 25 years later: FBI agent shares how he got Cary Stayner to confess to Yosemite killings [https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/25-years-later-fbi-agent-shares-how-he-got-cary-stayner-to-confess-to-yosemite-killings/] 5) SF Gate: Overshadowed All His Life / Low-key Cary Stayner took back seat to kidnapped brother [https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/overshadowed-all-his-life-low-key-cary-stayner-2915936.php] 6) 20/20 Episode: Evil in Eden [https://abc.com/episode/7c2fa0e3-4221-41a7-ad45-b917c991fc81]

At just seven years old, Steven Stayner was kidnapped by a predator who would hold him captive for seven long years--years in which the world moved on, but Steven was forced to grow up in the shadows of a stolen identity. His eventual escape and heroic rescue of another young boy made national headlines and turned him into a symbol of courage. But what happens after the cameras fade? Behind the media attention was a young man who had to piece together a life that had been taken from him. His story is not just about survival--it's about resilience, loss, and the quiet, ongoing struggle to reclaim a sense of self. Listen this week to Steven Stayner's story--he was a survivor whose story is as inspiring as it is tragic.  SOURCES: 1) Heroism and Horror: One Brother Was Kidnapped, The Other Became A Serial Killer [https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/serial-killer/heroism-and-horror-one-brother-was-kidnapped-the-other-became-a-serial-killer] 2) Two kidnapped boys, a hero’s return, then a tragic twist: The unbelievable story of Steven Stayner [https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/steven-stayner-documentary-captive-audience-b2067686.html] 3) Steven and Cary Stayner: The tale of two brothers' horror and heroism [https://abcnews.go.com/US/steven-cary-stayner-tale-brothers-horror-heroism/story?id=60529944] 4) Steven Stayner's Kidnapping, Cary Stayner's Horrific Crimes and One Family's Unbelievable Story [https://www.eonline.com/news/1327862/steven-stayners-kidnapping-cary-stayners-horrific-crimes-and-one-familys-unbelievable-story] 5) 'Captive Audience': Who Was Steven Stayner and What Happened To Him? [https://www.newsweek.com/captive-audience-hulu-what-happened-steven-stayner-1700061] 6) Who Was Steven? : The Little Boy Who Had Been Kidnaped Never Found Himself [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-09-22-vw-766-story.html] 7) He Was Abducted As A Child. Then His Brother Became A Serial Killer. [https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/alessadominguez/captive-audience-hulu-steven-stayner-review] 8) Kidnapper Returns To Jail [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kidnapper-returns-to-jail/] 9) Molester Gets Life Term for Attempt to Buy a Boy [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-apr-16-me-parnell16-story.html] 10) A Child Abductee's journey back [https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/a-child-abductees-journey-back/] 11) Steven Stayner Wikipedia Page [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Stayner] 12) The Little Boy Who Never Came Home [https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/tv/1989/05/21/the-little-boy-who-never-came-home/78aeb71e-9693-41cb-a256-78b97941355e/] 13) Second Man Held in '72 Abduction of California Boy; Statute of Limitations [https://www.nytimes.com/1980/03/06/archives/second-man-held-in-72-abduction-of-california-boy-statute-of.html] 14) Propensity Podcast: Episode 1: In the Shadow of Yosemite - Part 1: Steven Stayner [https://www.propensitypod.com/episodes/steven-stayner] 15) Kenneth Parnell Wikipedia Page [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_Parnell]

The manhunt was massive. The victims were piling up. And yet, for years, Andrei Chikatilo continued to slip through the cracks of the Soviet justice system. In Part 2 of this Early Release series, we follow the chilling escalation of The Red Ripper’s crimes—his increasingly brazen attacks, the wrongful arrests, and the sheer horror of a killer who seemed unstoppable.But justice would eventually catch up. We dive into the groundbreaking forensic work, the psychological profile that finally cracked the case, and Chikatilo’s jaw-dropping confession that stunned the world.🎧  Finish the story before it’s released to the public.Content Warning: This episode contains graphic discussions of sexual violence, murder, and crimes against children. Listener discretion is strongly advised.

He seemed a mild-mannered teacher, a family man... and he was one of the most prolific serial killers in history. Dubbed The Red Ripper, Andrei Chikatilo terrorized the Soviet Union for over a decade, preying on society’s most vulnerable while hiding in plain sight. In a system riddled with secrecy and denial, his crimes went unchecked—leaving a trail of horror that spanned over 50 victims.